Nicolas Anelka gave City the lead and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer equalised inside the opening seven minutes, but despite the response, this is remembered as a petrified display from United.

Juan Sebastian Veron, prone to the odd culture shock in the Premier League, was unsettled by the ferocity, while the occasion even got to the usually combatant Neville brothers. Both were at fault for the opening goals, with Gary's gift to Shaun Goater a snapshot many Bluenoses would deem fit for the lounge wall.

In the second period, Laurent Blanc, whose pace was never his friend, was then bulldozed by Goater, who dinked the ball over Fabien Barthez to give City a two-goal cushion.

And so demoralised were United that there would be no rally, no Alamo scenario. John O'Shea missed an open goal towards the end and that just about summed up a wretched day for Ferguson's side.

Kevin Keegan's City had however treated the supporters to their first win over United since The 5-1 in 1989.